Folding roof system and vehicle equipped therewith

ABSTRACT

The sunroof system ( 1 ) for a vehicle ( 2 ) comprises, for guiding the movement of the panels ( 3, 4 ), two parallel curved runners ( 5 ) fixed to the bodywork of the vehicle and each extending between a point (A) close to the front of the central panel ( 4 ) and a point (B) close to the bottom of the rear boot ( 7 ) of the vehicle and the rear part ( 9 ) of the cabin ( 6 ).

The present invention relates to a sunroof system for a fixed or movablestructure notably for a vehicle, for example a vehicle or a boat.

There is known, from FR-B-2 694 245 in the name of the Applicant, asunroof system for a vehicle consisting of at least two rigid panels,respectively a first front panel and a second central panel, fixed toeach other by sliding means arranged so that the front panel is able tomove between a closed position, in which it covers the cabin, and anopen position in which it is, after sliding towards the rear,superimposed on the central panel, the central panel being mounted so asto pivot on side arms each fixed at one end to the central panel and atthe other end to an articulation point fixed to the chassis of thevehicle, the central panel being adapted to pivot, whilst driving thefront panel which is superimposed on it, between a closed position inwhich it covers the cabin and an open position in which the front paneland the central panel are housed, in their superimposed position,substantially vertically behind the vehicle cabin, the sliding meanscomprising a front runner fixed to the front panel, a rear runner fixedto the central panel, and an intermediate runner slidably connected, bymeans of rollers and grooves, both to the front runner and to the rearrunner.

The purpose of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of theaforementioned system and to propose improvements to this systemallowing a simple and reliable design which can be adapted to differenttypes of vehicle bodywork or to different types of fixed or movablestructure.

According to the present invention, the sunroof system of theaforementioned type is characterised in that it has two parallel archedrunners fixed to the vehicle bodywork and each extending between a pointclose to the front of the central panel and a point close to the bottomof the rear boot of the vehicle and the rear part of the cabin, thecentral panel having members cooperating with the two runners in orderto guide its movement along these.

Such a sunroof system is simple in design and allows a precise guidingof the movement of the two superimposed panels between the closedposition and the open position in which they are stored in the boot andoccupy a small volume thereof.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the arched shape ofthe runners has a convexity directed towards the inside of the boot.

This shape is adapted to the geometry of the vehicle.

Preferably, the members cooperating with the two runners comprise tworollers fixed to each of the lateral edges of the central panel,respectively close to the front and close to the rear of the latter.

According to an advantageous version of the invention, the rollers areshaped like pinions meshed in a rack fixed to each runner and followingthe profile thereof.

In this version, one of the pairs of rollers is driven in rotation by anelectric motor connected to each roller by a transmission half-shaft.

Other particularities and advantages of the present invention willemerge from the following detailed description:

In the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of non-limitativeexamples:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle equipped with a sunroof systemaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in partial longitudinal section of a vehicle equippedwith the sunroof system according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the sunroof system,

FIG. 4 is a half cross-section of the rear part of the vehicle,

FIG. 5 is a half-section along the plane IV—IV in FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is a view to a larger scale of the detail A₁ in FIG. 5.

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, the sunroof system for thevehicle (2) consists of two rigid panels, respectively a first frontpanel (3) and a second central panel (4), fixed to each other by slidingmeans (20) arranged so that the front panel (3) is able to move betweena closed position (see FIG. 2) in which it is, after sliding towards therear, superimposed on the central panel (4).

The central panel (4) is able to move whilst driving the front panel (3)which is superimposed on it, between a closed position, in which itcovers the cabin, and an open position in which the front panel (3) andthe central panel (4) are housed, in their superimposed position,substantially vertically behind the cabin (6) of the vehicle, as shownin dotted lines in FIG. 2.

The system which guides the movement of the panel (3) towards theposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, in which the panel (3) issituated on the panel (4), will not be described in detail here.

This is because it was described in the French patent FR-B-2694245 andin the French patent application No. 9 910 204 of Aug. 5, 1999 in thename of the Applicant.

In accordance with the invention, the sunroof system has two parallelarched runners (5) fixed to the bodywork of the vehicle (2).

These runners (5) each extend between a point A close to the front ofthe central panel (4) and a point B close to the bottom (8) of the rearboot (7) of the vehicle and of the rear part (9) of the cabin (6).

The central panel (4) has members which will be detailed belowcooperating with the two runners (5) in order to guide its movementalong these.

As can be seen notably in FIG. 2, the arched shape of the runners (5)has a convexity directed towards the inside of the boot (7).

This arched shape guides the movement of the panels (3, 4) through apassage between the rear seat (10) and the fixed rear part (11) of theroof.

The members of the panel (4) cooperating with the two runners (5)comprise two rollers (12, 13) fixed to lugs (14) situated close to eachof the lateral edges (4 a) of the central panel, respectively close tothe front and close to the rear of the latter, as indicated in FIGS. 2and 3.

The sunroof system according to the invention also has means for drivingthe movement of the central panel (4) along the two runners (5).

These means can comprise cables driven by a motor or a ram. Preferably,the rollers (12, 13) are shaped like pinions (see FIGS. 3, 5 and 6)meshed in a rack (15) fixed to each roller (5) and following the profileof the latter.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the pair of rollers (12) situated closeto the rear of the panel (4) is driven in rotation by an electric motorconnected to each roller by a transmission half-shaft (17).

FIG. 4 shows on the one hand that each runner (5) is fixed at its toppart to one of the two side parts (18) of the fixed roof, situated oneach side of the roof opening.

In addition, each runner (5) is fixed at its bottom part to one of thetwo side parts (19) of the bodywork situated inside the boot (7).

The sunroof system which has just been described functions in thefollowing manner.

In a first step, a suitable mechanism controls the sliding of the frontpanel (3) towards the rear, until this panel is superimposed on thecentral panel (4) as indicated in FIG. 2.

In this position, the two panels are locked on each other.

The starting of the electric motor (16) is then actuated.

This rotates the half-shafts (17) and the rollers (12) in the form of apinion.

The rotation of the rollers (12) on the racks (15) of the runners (5)moves the panels (3, 4) towards the boot, until the rollers arrive attheir end of travel, close to point B.

In this position, the two panels (3, 4) occupy an almost verticalposition, by virtue of the curvature of the runners (5).

By actuating the rotation of the electric motor in the reversedirection, the panels (3, 4) move from the boot to the roof closureposition.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sunroof system for a vehicle, comprising atleast two rigid panels, respectively a first, front panel and a second,central panel, fixed to each other by sliding means arranged in such away that the front panel is able to move between a closed position inwhich it covers a cabin and an open position in which it is, aftersliding towards the rear, superimposed en over a top of the centralpanel, the latter being able to move, whilst driving the front panelwhich is superimposed on it, between a closed position in which itcovers the cabin and an open position in which the front panel and thecentral panel are housed, in their superimposed position, substantiallyvertically behind the cabin of the vehicle, characterized in that it hastwo parallel arched runners fixed to the vehicle bodywork and eachextending between a point (A) close to the front of the central paneland a point (B) close to a bottom of a rear boot of the vehicle and arear part of the cabin, the central panel having members cooperatingwith the two runners in order to guide its movement along these.
 2. Asunroof system according to claim 1, characterized in that the archedshape of the runners has a convexity directed towards an inside of theboot.
 3. A sunroof system according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe members cooperating with the two runners comprise two rollers fixedclose to each of side edges of the central panel, respectively close tothe front and close to the rear of the latter.
 4. A sunroof systemaccording to claim 1, characterized in that it has means for driving themovement of the central panel along the two runners.
 5. A sunroof systemaccording to claim 3, characterized in that the rollers are pinionsmeshed in a rack fixed to each runner and following a profile of thelatter.
 6. A sunroof system according to claim 5, characterized in thatone of the pairs of rollers is rotated by an electric motor connected toeach roller by a transmission half-shaft.
 7. A sunroof system accordingto claim 1, characterized in that each runner is fixed at its top partto one of two side parts of a fixed roof having an opening, each runnerbeing situated on each side of the roof opening.
 8. A sunroof systemaccording to claim 1, characterized in that each runner is fixed at itsbottom part to one of two side parts of the bodywork situated inside theboot.